What It Means to Be Smart, with Dr. Rina Bliss

Parenting Translator

Today we welcome Dr. Rina Bliss to discuss the concept of intelligence and learning, and how parents can reframe their thinking to focus on children's individual strengths.

We go over questions such as:

• Is intelligence is fixed and inherited?
• How much does environment factor in?
• How can we reduce stress in the learning environment
• Should we avoid telling our children that they're smart?
• And how should we think about grades and standardized tests?

Dr. Rina Bliss is a science technology and policy analyst, social justice advocate, and author of Rethinking Intelligence: A Radical New Understanding of Our Human Potential.

[00:00:02] Rethinking intelligence: Is smartness fixed?
[00:05:23] DNA and learning from environment.
[00:10:11] Connected learning through play.
[00:14:40] Brain growth through love, learning, and growth mindset.
[00:20:25] Does fixed intelligence harm kids?
[00:24:32] Promoting mindfulness and growth mindset in schools.
[00:29:43] Opting out of testing?
[00:33:57] Rejecting the fixed intelligence model in education
[00:38:56] Reducing stress to optimize learning.
[00:43:03] Celebrating neurodiverse learning
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Parenting Translator is hosted by Dr. Cara Goodwin and is produced by Earfluence.

Dr. Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., is a child psychologist and mother to three children who "translates" research on parenting and child development into information that is accurate, relevant, and useful to parents.